New medium: paper May 26, 2021 10:55 2 Comments

It all started with some old clocks.

I love clocks, especially the wind-up kind, and most especially of all, wind-up mantle clocks. For years I have prowled ebay just looking at the things and not buying one because really, I could not justify the expense when there are electronic clocks all over the place. 

Because I've felt pretty depressed since last summer, and especially so after the death of my buddy, Blackie, in January, I decided that maybe it was a good idea to do something completely different, something that didn't qualify as sophisticated art (so, no pressure) but that would take my mind off things. I thought I might not be able to afford to collect vintage wind-up clocks, but I could afford old clock cases and maybe I could "do something" with them. Something creative but not too demanding. So I started looking. I knew what I was looking for, but I couldn't articulate it. So I just looked.

I saw an inexpensive clock case on ebay and said to myself that I would like to monkey with it and turn it into something else--some kind of ritual container or cabinet or reliquary, but for witches rather than for devotees of Catholic saints (cool as their props are). So I broke down and bought the thing.

It sat in its box for weeks before I opened it. Maybe it was just a foolish moment.

Eventually, I unboxed the clock case, removed the nasty little plastic clock inside, and started thinking about what I could put in there. I began with a small dried mandrake root, which fit inside perfectly. But it wasn't quite right. Not quite what I wanted to do.

Meanwhile, thanks to Instagram (where I have discovered tons of different types of art--anyone who pisses and moans about IG being evil on account of "influencers" and all their fake shit hasn't really utilized the thing to its full extent), I ran across people doing some incredible paper art. Lots of them made paper flowers, which attracted me due to my long-time interest in plants, although no one was making the kind of paper flowers that represented my plant favorites. One of the paper-flower peopole made something that especially amazed me: a paper fish. As soon as I saw that, I knew I wanted to try making stuff with paper. When I saw a monkey's paw and a dead canary she'd made, I was sold. I just had never realized how much could be done with it.

I got an excellent book on making "uncommon" flowers, and the first example in there was foxgloves. Hell yes! 

So when we got the most recent stimulus check, I bought a ton of paper and associated supplies. But me being at the bottom of a well of grief, I didn't get around to using that paper until a couple days ago.

Belladonna paper flower

I started with making a mandrake flower, which was okay. Then I tried making a belladonna flower, which looked more like a bellflower. And then today I managed to make a belladonna flower that is passable, although the sepals need to be greener. 

I've always wanted to learn how to create 3D objects, but kept thinking well, maybe some day I might get back to pottery, but so much equipment was involved. And I knew I'd probably never be able to afford to make "real" sculptures out of metal or stone.

But I can afford paper and scissors and glue. I can learn the capabilities of paper by making these flowers and then take those techniques farther. 

Looking forward to doing something, finally.